The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education is pleased to announce that Project Graduate has won a major national award from Noel-Levitz for developing one of the “most successful, state-of-the-art retention programs in use today.”

Project Graduate is Kentucky’s collaborative effort with public universities to recruit, retain and graduate former students with 80 or more credit hours but no bachelor’s degree. The program offers a smooth transition and high-touch student services and incentives for busy, working adults who want to complete their degree.

“Each year these awards recognize the most successful, state-of-the-art retention programs in use today,” said Tim Culver, vice president, Noel-Levitz. “This year’s honorees have made great strides in student retention, and we are pleased to recognize them for these efforts. The winners demonstrated measurable institutional outcomes, originality and creativity, as well as excellent use of resources and adaptability for use at other institutions.”

Project Graduate was launched by campuses in the spring term of 2008. As of spring 2011, 605 former students had earned their bachelor’s degrees through the program, and another 651 adults were enrolled in fall 2011.

“Project Graduate is a widely respected returning adult learner initiative that is improving the quality of lives of our former students and their families, increasing the quality of Kentucky’s workforce, and helping raise educational attainment levels across the Commonwealth,” stated Council President Bob King.

We believe in the transformative power of postsecondary education. Stronger by Degrees, the new strategic agenda for Kentucky’s colleges and universities and adult basic education, is powering a stronger Kentucky economy and improving the lives of Kentuckians. To learn more about Stronger by Degrees, visit http://cpe.ky.gov/strongerbydegrees.Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/CPENews.